Leigh Richards started LA Earthworks and Demolition in 2004 after being involved in the earthmoving and demolition industries for over 20 years. 12 months later he partnered up with brother-in-law, John Jerovich, and they have never looked back.
Based in Fremantle WA, LA Earthworks and Demolition operate throughout Perth and specialise in all major aspects of earthmoving, demolition and asbestos removal.
"When the time was right John and I went straight to WesTrac, as we've been Cat men for over 20 years - whether it be excavators, trucks or dozers, as long as it had a Cat badge we'd drive it.
"We've used a lot of different gear over the years and as far as we are concerned it stacks up better than anything out there. With Caterpillar you get better support and it's more reliable than anything else we've used. We've never had an issue with Cat gear and I rate them number one in my book.
"WesTrac Pty Ltd really helped me out with my first Cat 301.8C Mini Excavator when I started by giving me tremendous backing and support. That was five years ago and nothing has changed since. "The 301 is a real workhorse and it's still performing as strongly now as it was when I first bought it - it's brilliant. I normally replace our equipment at 2,000 hours, which is about every two years, but I won't replace the Mini Excavator because it's just too good.”
"It's done 2,500 hours now, mainly doing pylon work, and it has performed brilliantly with none of the issues that other excavators of this age experience – and believe me, there is no comparison when it comes to power, performance and reliability.
"So when it came time to expand, John and I went straight back to WesTrac for advice on the best machine to handle a variety of jobs. We were recommended the 247B Multi Terrain Loader and that was two years ago. Since then it's done just over 2,000 hours and its performance has been unbeatable. It is just so versatile and goes places we would never contemplate using our non-Cat equipment.”
"The weight displacement enables us to drive over flash paving with little risk of damage, and over soak wells that a normal tyre loader would crack or fall into, while the tracks will last around 4,500 hours compared to 500 hours for tyres so we've ended up a couple of thousand dollars ahead over the 2 years, which is a bonus.
"It really is the best machine we have had, in fact it's so good I'm thinking of replacing our Cat 226B Skid Steer Loader, which is our third, with another Multi Terrain Loader.”
"The other area where Cat and WesTrac really excel is with their work tools. We've got just about every conceivable piece for what we do, from a range of 4-in-1 multi-purpose buckets, a big grapple bucket, a couple of general purpose buckets, pallet forks, a few excavator buckets and an auger attachment that will drill to 5 metres in a range of diameters from 140mm to 680mm - so we've got it all covered.
"And I've got to say, they all work and keep on working. We might replace machines regularly but never the attachments - they are built to last, and they do. Their engineering and the machines' engineering are really second to none.
"So my advice to anyone looking at earthmoving equipment is simple - call WesTrac, don't waste your time anywhere else. If you want equipment that'll live up to your expectations then go with Cat. They're built well, built tough and built to last.
"We've never had a single fault with ours, mechanically they've been perfect, and that's not just with one - we've had 5 now and they've all been the same.
"And when it comes to resale value you won't do better. Cat always give you top dollar when it comes time to trade-up. While the support we get from WesTrac is unbeatable and we do know what we're talking about, as we've had firsthand experience with other suppliers gear and when it comes to service, nothing comes close to WesTrac," Leigh said.